Exercising device



av. 26, 1940. J. SWANSON 2223309 EXERCISING DEVIGE Filed April 3, 19-40 2 She1. s-Shee't l J. SWANSON 2223,30 EXERCI S ING DEVICE Filed April 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. '26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE 2,223,309 laxnncrsmo DEVICE John Swanson, Chicago, Ill. Application AprilB, 1940, Serial No. 327,545

10 Claims.

This invention relates to exercising devices and has for its object to provide a new and improved device of this description. The invention has as a further object to provide an exercising device which will occupy very little space and which will be cheap to construct and effective in operation. v

The invention has as a further object to provide an exercising device particularly adapted for eliminating fat deposits on the body. The invention has as a further object to provide an exercising device particularly adapted for eliminating excessive abdominal fat. The invention has further objects which are more particularly set out in the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view showing one form of exercising device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the device shown in Fig. 1 illustrating one wayof using it;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, in part section, of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view of the device shown in Fig. 1 when not in use;

Fig. 6 is a view showing a modified form of contact roller;

Fig. '7 is a front elevation showing a modified construction Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the exercising device of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged View of the upper end of the exercising device shown in Figs. '7 and 8;

Fig. 10 is a view of the lower end of the exercising device of Figs. 7 and 8, showing a modified construction;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of an exercising device, showing a modified constructionj Fig. 12 is a side elevation of an exercising device. showing a further modification;

Fig. '13 is anenlarged view of the center joint of Fig. 12; and V Fig. 14 is a front view of the joint shown in Fig. 13.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, there is a platform I upon which the user stands. Connected with this platform are the hollow members 2 and '3. These members through the ends of the members 2 and 3 and which removably holds them in position by means of the nut 5. I prefer to provide th hollow members 2 and 3 with the-separate end pieces G and '5, as shown in Fig. 4, the-rod 4 passing through these end pieces. Within the hollow members 2 and 3 are the springs 3 and 9. Sliding in the hollow members 2 and 3 are the members it and H which engage the springs 8 and 9 and when moved down, compress them. 'Connected with these members l0 and l l are the projections h'ia and a which may be of "any form, but are shown as screws with beads on them. These projecting'members reciprocate in slots H11) and Hb in the hollow members 2 and 3.

I prefer to have springs l2 and I3 which are connected with the hollow members 2 and 3 at one end and to the platform I at the other end. There is also provided a connecting member hi associated with each of the hollow members 2 and 3 and which connects them to the platform. This connecting member is preferably flexible and is provided with a hook l5 by means of which it is releasably attached to a part 16 on the hol low members 2 and '3. These books can be imhooked when it is desired to fold the device when out of use, as shown in Fig. 5. The springs l2 and 13 may also be provided with hooks I! so that they may beunhooked from the platform when the device is folded, as 'shown in Fig. 5. The rods Hi and. II are provided with apertures H10 and. H0 and members 2 and 3 have apertures 2a. and 3a. Pins 21) may be passed through these apertures when they are aligned, holding the springs 8 and 9 compressed, thus reducing the size of the device for storage.

Connected with the members I fiend H is a rollerlfi which may be of any form and material I prefer to make this roller with its central part M of sponge rubber. In this event I prefer to cast it upon the tube 213. A rod 2! is loosely mounted in the tube 20 so that the roller l9 will move'freely therein. This rod projects from the ends of the roller through openings 22 in the members l0 and H. These openings are larger thanth'e rod so as to permit individual move-T mentofthe roller with relation to themembers Hi and H. The ends of the rod 2! are provided with handles 23, 24 for the user to grasp when desired. In the use of the device the user brings the roller into contact with the portion of the bodv'it is desired to reduce and then bends down; as shown, for example in Fig. 2, the springs 8 and 9 resisting this bending as the members ll] and H move down into the members 2 and 3, these members forming as it were, telescoping memsure.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show a construction where the springs are differently located and instead of being compression springs, they are extension springs, the resistance being due to the extension of the springs.

ally mounted on the base I, by the rod 4 removably connected in position by the nut 5. There is a. cross connecting piece 28 connecting the members 26 and 21, having a cut-away space 29 for the toes of the user. The springs 30 and 3! are connected at one end to the upright members 26 and 21. The spring 30 is connected at one end to a flexible member 32 and the spring 3| is connected at one end to the-flexiblemember 33. The other ends of these flexible members pass over pulleys 34 and are connected at 35 with the roller 18. The rod 2| through this. roller .is free to slide along slots 36 in the upright members 26 and 21. There are springs I2 connecting the base I with the upright members 26 and 21 and detachable so that these members can be folded down. There are also flexible members 38 detachably connected with the upright members andwhich resist the pull of the springs l2, but permit the members 26 and 2'! to be moved about their pivots, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 8.

Instead of having the flexible members 38, I

may provide the air cylinders 39 having pistons,

the piston rods 40 of which aredetachably connected to the members 26 and 21, as shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 11 shows a modified construction similar to Fig. '7, except that the ends of the upright members 26 and 21, instead of being pivoted to the base I, are connected to coiledsprings 4! which are attached by an attaching member 42 with the base I. This in addition to upward pressure of the roller l9, permits the roller to be moved forward so that there is backward pressure of any desired amount against the body of the user.

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 show a further modification where the upright members are formed of two pieces 43 and 44. The'pieces 44 are pivoted at 45 with the base I and the roller I9 is attached to the piece 43. The pieces 43 and 44 have brackets 46 and 41 through which extends a pivot 48. A coiled spring; 49 surrounds the pivot and has one end 50 pressing against the piece 43 and the other end 5| pressing against the piece '-44. Springs. IL are connected with the pieces 44 and with the base I. In the use of this device the pivotal points of the two pieces move forward as shown in dotted lines in Fig; 12, when they roller |9is applied to the body of the user and during this movement the springs I 2 and 49 exert pressure to press the roller against the body of the user.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

When the device is not in use the upright members are moved down substantially parallel to the In this construction there are" two upright members 26 and 21which are'pivotbase and the device can be stored in a small space.

When it is desired to use the device, the upright members are brought into an upright position. The device can be used in various ways. The user, for example, stands on the base and may simply use the device by moving the roller outward away from the body, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the springs I2 affording the resistance for this movement. When the pressure moving the upright members forward is relieved, the springs l2 move them back to the upright position.

' The most important use of the device is where theuse'r brings the device into contact with some part of thebody and then presses down to overcome the resistance of the springs 8 and 9, or

30 .and"3 l,' or '49.' The roller, being of rubber,

moves along the body and massages the portion of the body it engages, as well as exerting pressure thereon, and this brings about a reducing condition, that is, it causes 'the amount of flesh to be decreased and the weight of the individual to be decreased. This also strengthensv and tones up the muscles, particularly of the abdomen, which are some of the most vital muscles in the body. It will be seen that this provides an easy way of exercisingand particularly an easy way of exercisingtheabdominal muscles, for all the user has'to do in this event is to stand on the platform or base andbend forward and overcome the resistance of the springs and permit the roller to roll along the front part of the body, and then stand in an upright position and repeat this movement as many times as desired.

In this construction when the user applies weight to the body engaging member to move it down and energize the springs, these springs act to assist-in moving the user back to the upright position. This becomes veryimportant for people who have heart trouble as it greatly lessens the strain on the heart, because the energizedsprings practically move the user back to the upright position without any strain on the heart. p

I claim: I p

1. An exercising device comprising a base, upright members connected with said base, a body engaging member connected withsaid upright members, and comprising a rubber roller, a hollow tube on the interior of said rubber roller, a rod extending through said tubeand connected with said upright members, resisting means for resisting the downward movementof said body engaging member when engaged by the body, and retracting means for moving the upright members to theiroriginal upright position.

2. An exercising device comprising. a base, upright members connected with said base, each of said upright members consisting of two telescoping parts, a body'engaging member connected with two of said telescoping parts, and coiled springs in the other two telescoping parts which oppose the movement of thetelescoping parts to which the body engaging member is connected, said springs acting both as resisting means and retracting means.

3. An exercising device comprising a base, upright members connected with said base, each of said upright members consisting of two telescoping parts, a body engaging' member connected with two of said telescoping parts, and coiled springs-in the other two, telescoping parts which oppose the movement of the telescoping parts to which the body engaging member is connected, said springs acting both as resisting means and retracting means, the telescoping parts containing the springs being provided with longitudinally extending slots and the telescoping parts to which the body engaging memberis connected being provided with projections which move along said slots when the body engaging member is moved downwardly.

4. An exercising device comprising upright members, a base therefor, a body engaging member at the upper end of said upright members, springs for resisting the downward movement of the body engaging member when pressure is applied thereto and for retracting said body engaging member to its initial position, slots in said upright members and guiding members associated with said body engaging member which work in said slots.

5. An exercising device comprising upright members, a base therefor, a rotatable rubberbody contacting roller connected with said upright members, resisting means for resisting the downward movement of said roller, slots in the upright members and guiding members associated with said roller which work in said slots.

6. An exercising device comprising a base, upright members connected with said base, a body engaging member connected with said upright members, resisting means for resisting the downward movement of said body engaging member when engaged by the body, retracting means for moving the upright members to their original upright position, springs connected with said upright members and said base at one side of the upright members and opposing connections for opposing said springs, connected with said upright members and base on the other side of the upright members. 4

7. An exercising device comprising a base, upright members connected with said base, a body engaging member connected with said upright members, resisting means for resisting the downward movement of said body engaging member when engaged by the body, retracting means for moving the upright members to their original upright position, springs connected with said upright members and said base at one side of the upright members and opposing connections for opposing said springs, connected with said upright members and base on the other side of the upright members, said springs-and opposing connections being detachable to permit the upright members to be moved to a folded position extending along said base.

8. An exercising device comprising upright members, a base therefor, a body engaging membeer at the upper end of said upright members, springs for resisting the downward movement of the body engaging member when pressure is applied thereto and for retracting said body engaging member to its initial position, slots in said upright members, guiding members associated with said body engaging member which work in said slots, flexible members connected with said springs, and pulleys over which said flexible said slots, and springs connectedwith the lower ends of said upright members and with said base. 10. An exercising device comprising upright members, a base therefor, a body engaging memher at the upper end of said upright members,

said upright members formed of two parts, one of said parts being pivotally connected with the base, the two parts being pivotally connected together, and. a spring at the point where the parts are pivotally connected together and engaging both of said parts and tending to maintain them in a straightened position.

JOHN SWANSON. 

